Campo de Ourique is such a cute neighborhood in Lisbon. It’s more geared toward family’s and expats that like the chill vibe. The area has a lot to offer and is set up in a grid like system: it’s like a mini city within a city, which makes it feel very cosy. In this blog we’ll share the best things to do in Campo de Ourique as well as some our favorite cafes and restaurants in the area!
Campo de Ourique: An upcoming area in Lisbon
Campo de Ourique was one of the neighborhoods that escaped the destruction of the 1755 earthquake. The neighborhood is pretty flat which is quite rare for Lisbon. Just note you will need to hike up a Lisbon hill to get to it. The area is a mixture of 19th Century and 20th Century buildings.
One of the city’s most famous landmarks is the Mercado de Campo de Ourique. It opened in 1934 and it was a traditional food market and now it has transformed into a food hall while still keeping local vendors. Just outside the market is a beautiful church called Igreja do Santo Condestavel, where there is a little park where you see families take their dogs to play.
Why is Campo de Ourique becoming so popular?
What makes Campo de Ourique a great neighborhood is it mixes the traditional with the new. There are so many old pastry shops and little Mercados but there is also trendy cafes and restaurants. The Iconic Tram 28 reaches Campo de Ourique as one of its final stops. Residents and visitors often praise this neighborhood as being authentic and less touristy.
One thing to note if you happen to choose this neighborhood as your new home just know that this neighborhood is on the same route as the airplanes, so you will hear them throughout the day and night.
My thoughts on Campo de Ourique
I have to be honest at first I didn’t really like this neighborhood because at first it seemed too congested with all of the cars parked on the street and it seemed a bit compacted. But to be fair, this little village has grown on me and I now love walking this neighborhood.
It actually reminds me a lot of Santa Monica in California, because it has a lot of similarities! I love strolling around in Campo de Ourique and trying all the chai lattes from all of the beautiful cafes here.
Best things to do in Campo de Ourique
If you’re visiting Lisbon for the first time, you’ve might not have ever heard of Campo de Ourique. But Campo de Ourique is actually quite central and it has a lot to offer – from sightseeing to shopping. These are the best things to do in Campo:
Shopping in Campo De Ourique
Another great feature about Campo de Ourique is the Amoreiras shopping center. It’s an indoor mall that has pretty much anything you would want, including a large grocery store called Auchan. I like going to this grocery store when I’m looking for something specific because they tend to always have it. It also has a movie theater and an outdoor terrace where you can go to the top of the mall and view all of Lisbon, including the iconic April 25th bridge.
Note that to go to this observation deck you will have to pay for a ticket. Other than Amoreiras shopping center, you’ll have much more options for shopping in Campo De Ourique, including many boutique shops for unique finds.
Mercado Campo de Ourique Lisbon
Mercado de Ourique was built in 1934. It was originally a traditional market where fish, fruits and vegetables were sold. It was transformed in 2013 and modernized with food stalls along side the traditional vendors. What’s really amazing about this market (unlike the Time Out Market in Cais do Sodrรฉ) is that it still feels apart of the neighborhood. It’s were you see all the locals in the neighborhood come to have lunch drink wine and catch up on the neighborhood gossip.
Campo de Ourique Tram 28
The iconic tram 28 runs right through Campo de Ourique. Tram 28 runs through all the historic neighborhoods of Lisbon including Alfama, Baixa and Estrela and it ends in Campo de Ourique. Campo de Ourique (Prazeres) is one of the best places to hop on the tram because it’s at its most western of the route, which means it is a lot less crowded. Even though tram 28 is a tourist attraction, in Campo de Ourique you’ll see it’s used everyday by locals for transportation.
Cafes and restaurants in Campo de Ourique
One thing I love is that Campo de Ourique has so much to offer when it comes to cafes and restaurants. It’s the perfect mix between local Portuguese restaurants and newer cafes with food from all over the world. However there’s of course a lot more to explore, I wanted to share some of my top picks to give you some inside information:
Etma Bakery Cafe
One of my personal favorites in Campo de Ourique is Etma Bakery cafe. This little cafe always has a line and there is good reason. The chai lattes (which are my favorite of course) are amazing. They are most famous for their pastries. They have unique pastries like the poppyseed bun that are made fresh daily.
Street Smash Burgers
One thing I love about this neighborhood is when I’m craving something I miss from back home I know I can find it here. For example, I never ate hamburgers back home (I know that’s probably crazy to think because I’m American) but I never really liked them. I think it was because I didn’t like a lot of meat. If I were to eat a burger back in the States I would get like an In and Out burger, because they are very thin. But I would only do that maybe twice a year.
Ever since I moved to Lisbon I crave smash burgers every now and then. The quality of the meat is a lot better here and I also think it has a lot to do with a bit of homesicknesses at times. There is a place called Street Smash Burgers that I’ve personally become a fan of!
How to get to Campo de Ourique
There are many ways to get to Campo de Ourique from the center of Lisbon city center. The easiest would be by bus. You can take bus 711 or 758 and the bus fare is 2.30 euro for a ticket. If you don’t have a public transport card, you can easily buy a ticket on board the bus. You can pay by tap pay, MBWay and cash to the bus driver.
I personally would pay by card on the machines to make it easier for the driver and everyone else loading the bus for efficiency. But since the machines sometimes don’t work, it’s smart to always have some cash just in case.
You can also take the metro and get off at Rato (the yellow line). From there you can walk up hill to Campo de Ourique. You can of course take the famous tram 28 (and 25E) and you can also take an Uber or Bolt as well.
Parking in Campo de Ourique
Just note if you do have a car you might have difficulty finding parking. Parking is very limited so most parking is geared towards residents. You will most likely have to park at a lot. The Amoreiras parking lot will be your best option.
Looking to stay in Campo do Ourique?
Campo de Ourique offers a more authentic and quieter side of Lisbon. That’s exactly why it’s one of our favorite neighborhoods in Lisbon! The tree lined streets with locals sipping a glass of wine or having a cafe make this neighborhood feel like home. Campo de Ourique is perfectly located: it’s not too far from the city center, which makes it a great place to come back to after a long day of sightseeing.
More beautiful neighborhoods in Lisbon
However Campo de Ourique is one of our top picks, Lisbon has a lot more incredible neighborhoods that are worth a visit. They are all very different and we can definitely recommend exploring as much neighborhoods as you can, especially if you’re thinking about moving to Lisbon.
In this blog you’ll discover the best neighborhoods to live in Lisbon, which can support you in your decision!
What are your favorite neighborhoods in Lisbon?
